Zoo celebrates arrival of three green araçari toucan chicks

By Euan Murray via SWNS

Keepers at Newquay Zoo are celebrating the arrival of three green araçari toucan chicks, one of the smallest members of the toucan family.

The Cornwall attraction say it is a great achievement as it is the first time that the species has bred on site in the zoo's 55-year history.

The mother, who is 12-years-old, has been at Newquay since 2017, while the young male arrived from Cotswolds Wildlife Park in February this year.

The zoo says: "The pair instantly hit it off, and after a period of courtship, the chicks hatched in late May."

All three chicks – two males and one female – have just fledged, meaning that they are now able to fly.

Dan Trevelyan, Senior Animal Keeper at Newquay Zoo, said: "It’s been a fantastic experience watching the chicks growing and changing day-by-day.

"When they first hatched, they looked a lot like dinosaurs, but now their feathers have grown in, and we’ve been able to identify the sexes of the chicks by the colors of their heads. Males have dark black neck and head feathers, whilst the females are reddish brown."

Toucans, including green araçaris, are not only monogamous, but they also parent cooperatively.

Both the males and females take turns incubating eggs, feeding their young, and caring for the fledgling birds once they start to venture out from their nest.

Green araçaris come from the lowland forests of northeastern South America, including Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.

While they are not considered at risk in the wild, they are vulnerable to habitat loss through deforestation, and are also popular in the exotic pet trade.

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